Legislation was signed into law to help prevent food stamp fraud by imposing tougher penalties for the illegal trafficking of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Act 160 of 2018, formerly Senate Bill 1127, creates a new penalty for the fraudulent trafficking of SNAP benefits in an amount greater than $2,500. Violators are required to pay restitution of up to three times the amount of fraud they committed. Under previous law, the recipient who sells the benefits and the merchant who creates the illegal market for and trafficks in those benefits are treated the same.

The legislation stems from a case uncovered last year by the Office of State Inspector General in which a Harrisburg restaurant traded drugs for electronic benefit transaction (EBT) cards and bought thousands of dollars of supplies from a food wholesale club to be resold for profit. This serious problem across Pennsylvania takes food from our most vulnerable citizens.

Successful Concealed Carry

I want to thank everyone who attended my concealed carry in Wellsville this past week. We had a great turnout of nearly 100 people. I also want to thank our speakers, attorney Matt Menges and two state police troopers.

First PACENET Income Increase in 14 Years

The General Assembly has long debated increasing the income limits to expand the PACENET program. Prior to this week, maximum income requirements for PACENET, the maximum income requirements are $23,500 for a single individual and $31,500 for a married couple.

The main reason we have supported increasing the limits is because they have not been increased since 2004.

To change this, the delegation strongly supported and voted for House Bill 270, and was pleased to see Gov. Tom Wolf finally sign the measure into law.

Eligible Pennsylvanians across the state will be happy to learn that the new PACENET income limits are effective immediately. House bill 270, now Act 87 of 2018, provides a $4,000 increase for both single and married Pennsylvanians. Total income for a single individual can now be between $14,500 and $27,500, and total combined income for a married couple can now be between $17,700 and $35,500.

Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed last week bipartisan legislation that would have helped Pennsylvania’s students better prepare for the workforce. As a co-sponsor of this bill, I am extremely dismayed by this bizarre and unnecessary veto.

House Bill 2157, part of a comprehensive bipartisan package of bills to improve workforce development by advancing career and technical education (CTE), would have made it easier for schools to establish and renew vocational programs. It was approved unanimously by the House, receiving merely three negative votes in the Senate and was backed by the Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators, Pennsylvania Association of Agriculture Educators and the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

Wolf has quite vocally touted himself as a champion of CTE. This veto, however, is a clear indication that he does not have the best interest of our students, and our economy, at heart.

It was my privilege to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at New Story Schools and Services in Fairview Township. New Story is a private licensed school that provides special education and behavioral health services to students up to age 21 who have been diagnosed with autism or emotional/behavioral disorders.

Got Expired Drugs? Dispose of Them Safely

To help keep prescription medications out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, 16 York County police departments partner with the York County Solid Waste Authority to host medication take-back programs. Responsibly disposing of drugs is a matter of public safety and is a simple way to combat the opioid epidemic. Unused drugs can be stolen from homes or taken by people not prescribed to use the medication. Drugs tossed into the trash can contaminate our water supply.

Please dispose of your unused drugs in the take-back boxes at one of the following police departments in the 92nd District: